What clean coal technology can do

Supercritical power plants operate at greater than 'supercritical pressure' (typically 300 bar) with 600oC steam conditions.

By raising the pressure and temperature of the generated steam to supercritical conditions, power plant efficiency is increased, making more electricity from less coal and reducing CO2 emissions compared to a conventional plant.

Supercritical plant can be 'retrofitted' to existing coal plants, using the existing infrastructure at the site.

Clean coal carbon dioxide capture involves generating a concentrated stream of pure carbon dioxide for capture and injection into a storage site.(cont)

Carbon dioxide is separated and captured from the flue gas stream.

The leading technologies in post-combustion capture are:

chemical solvent absorption using amine-based solvents, commonly-known as 'amine scrubbing';

and oxygen-fired pulverised coal combustion, commonly known as oxyfuel firing.

'Capture' technology is a well-established means of separating carbon dioxide from natural gas (known as natural gas 'sweetening') and for some other industrial processes but has not yet been used in association with electricity generation in the UK.

NSWF